This invention relates to an apparatus and method for improving the accuracy of weighing an object, and more particularly relates to such an apparatus and method in which a scale is positioned so that its weighing surface is located in an aperture in a surface of a structure so that the object being weighed may be improperly placed so that it is not entirely supported on the scale.
In certain environments in which the weighing of objects takes place, such as the weighing of grocery products in connection with retail supermarket check-out operations, a scale is employed in the line of flow of goods past a cashier, or check-out operator. The scale may be included in a check-out counter, so that it is positioned in an aperture in the counter and is substantially flush with the counter. A scanning device, for scanning bar code labels on the goods being checked out, may be combined with the scale.
In such an arrangement, there is the possibility that an article being weighed may be placed so that it extends over the edge of the weighing platform of the scale and is partially supported by the adjacent counter surface, so that the scale will provide an inaccurate weight. Particularly since check-out operations are usually conducted at a rapid speed, in order to minimize the necessary waiting period of customers in line at the check-out station, it is quite possible that the improper positioning of an article on the scale may not be noticed by the operator, thus resulting in the scale providing a weight reading which is inaccurate, being lower than the actual weight.
It would accordingly be advantageous to provide an apparatus and method for improving the accuracy of weighing an object which would inform an operator of the improper positioning of an object on the scale so that the object could be repositioned on the scale in order to obtain the correct weight.